"The polling has started at 7 am on a peaceful note. Over 1.85 crore electorates will be exercising their franchise to choose their representatives from 150 candidates," UP Chief Electoral officer Umesh Sinha said.

In this phase, polling is being held in Moradabad, Rampur, Sambhal, Amroha, Badaun, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, Nagina, Aonla and Kheri. The prominent candidates who are in fray include Maneka Gandhi, Santosh Gangwar, Saleem Sherwani and Begum Noor Bano.

Of the 11 seats, four were held by SP, three by Congress and two by BJP during the last Lok Sabha polls in 2009. BJP leader Maneka Gandhi, who had won from Aonla seat last time, is contesting from her stronghold Pilibhit.

The nephew of SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav, is in the fray to retain Badaun Lok Sabha seat. Former MP Saleem Iqbal Sherwani is contesting from Aonla as Congress nominee.

Congress has fielded Begum Noor Bano from Moradabad seat, from where former cricketer Mohd Azharuddin was elected last time. Bano's son Nawab Kazim Ali too is testing his luck from Rampur seat. Former minister Santosh Gangwar is contesting on BJP ticket from Bareilly.

Shafeequrehman Barq, who won the last Lok Sabha poll from Sambhal on BSP ticket, is fighting on SP ticket this time. Of the total 18,975 polling centers, 3,206 have been identified as sensitive.